d20 Modern Reboot: What Would You Want to See?

[Relique du Madde]

I'd say do not go the 4E route.

Instead if u want to recreate the wheel, I say streamline the system and take cues from True20 Revised and Star Wars Saga Edition and even Mutants and Masterminds 3e . If not, reserrect SWSE, clean it up, and add some new systems to plug the holes.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

4efiy it is always my answer here.
But go further then 4E. Find the non-combat roles and make them a fundamental part of the game.

D20 Modern had a strong concept I liked in theory but in practice fell flat - that you multiclass more. I particularly like the idea of multiclassing a "physical" class (Strong, Fast, Tough) with one mental class (Smart, Dedicated, Charismatic) to define the style of a character - you have a "combat" side and a "non-combat "side you can flesh out this way.

I would see a 4Eized d20 Modern 2.0 have a character mix & match a combat role with a non-combat role.

Possible Combat Roles:
Defender, Striker, Leader (I ignore Controller for a modern system with lots of firearms - some defenders will be melee brutes and fit the 4E D&D Defender, some will use ranged weapons and fit the Controller)

Possible Non-Combat Roles:
Face, Guide, Sage, Techie. A guy to talk, a guy getting you where you need to be (so Drivers, Pilots, Rangers all can apply), a guy that knows stuff, and a guy that builds stuff.

Combat Powers and non-combat powers would work similar but more clearly distinguished as it is in D&D 4. (Utility Powers serve both combat and non-combat purposes and I just see this as a flawed desin in D&D4).

I could see d20 Modern 2.0 be a little more equipment-centric in some ways. Your combat role might not necessiarly give you direct powers, but instead it might affect powers given by a weapon.

Semi-Automatic Pistol:
Double Tap (Encounter) - Ranged Weapon
Attack: Dexterity vs AC
Target: 1 Creature
Hit: 2 [W] + Dex damage.
Hit (Striker): 3 [W] +Dex damage.
Hit (Defender): Target is marked until the end of your next turn.
Hit (Leader): Target suffers a -2 penalty to AC and Reflex defense.

Assault Rifle :
Full Burst (Act) - Area Burst 1 in Weapon Range
Defender: Area Burst 2 in Weapon Range
Attack: Dexterity vs AC
Target: All creatures in burst.
Hit: 2 [W] + Dex damage.
Hit (Defender): Slide target 2 squares.
Hit (Striker): 3 [W] + Dex damage.
Hit (Leader): Target is knocked prone.
Miss: Half damage.
Effect (Defender): Target is marked until the end of your next turn.

 

[ValhallaGH]

4efiy it is always my answer here.
But go further then 4E. Find the non-combat roles and make them a fundamental part of the game.

D20 Modern had a strong concept I liked in theory but in practice fell flat - that you multiclass more. I particularly like the idea of multiclassing a "physical" class (Strong, Fast, Tough) with one mental class (Smart, Dedicated, Charismatic) to define the style of a character - you have a "combat" side and a "non-combat "side you can flesh out this way.

I would see a 4Eized d20 Modern 2.0 have a character mix & match a combat role with a non-combat role.

Yeah, I tried writing this. It was really boring, and it still didn't capture the tone of most modern adventures. I was disappointed. Then I read over Modern20 and realized much of what I wanted had already been done. Just impose fixed hp per level, and that system will do you.

 

[The Human Target]

I was thinking about this the passed few days.

I'd definitely go the 4E route (static defenses, fixed HP, etc) with a much more robust skill challenge type of system.

I really like the idea of combining a combat and non combat aspect of your character into one whole PC, instead of a plethora of specific base classes (like Spycraft) or the generic classes of d20 Modern.

So have big sets of options you can expand and combine to form specific ideas.

Like say combine the Utility Aspect of Celebrity with the Combat Aspect of Thug to create a character thats a famous but retired boxer.

 

[Zhaleskra]

Now that I've given it some more thought, I probably wouldn't buy a d20 Modern reboot even if it came out.

The reason is simple: I already have a setting that does everything I need a Modern d20 to do in a way that I like.

Having come to that conclusion, I end my time in this topic.

 

[TerraDave]

Don't. Instead do genre specific games--top secret, shadow stalkers, star frontiers, etc--that are compatible with each other.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I also would prefer to see it 4eified but that is because I like crossover adventures. May be Gamma World does what I want. I'll have to check it out.
That said I really liked the talent idea.

 

[delericho]

You should never, ever, under any circumstances attack with a skill vs. a defense.

Actually, on reflection I think they would do much better to adjust the total skill modifiers so that they are on a par with the attack bonuses (and reduce the skill DCs to compensate).

Assuming the use of the SWSE BAB-by-individual-class and skills-gain-+1-per-2-levels, I would suggest the following:

1) Introduce a "non-proficiency" penalty of -5 for using skills untrained, equivalent to the penalty for using a weapon untrained.

2) The Skill Training feat, instead of giving a +5 bonus with the skill, instead negates that -5 non-proficiency penalty.

3) Add an Improved Skill Training feat (that requires Skill Training as a prerequisite) that gives a bonus equal to half the character's level to a specific skill.

4) Skill Focus should give the same bonus as Weapon Focus (+1?).

(The feats that give a bonus to two different skills will probably need to be eliminated. They're a bit too good in this paradigm.)

5) Be sure to reduce the skill DCs to reflect the new, lower, skill modifiers!

That way, the character's total modifier with his best skills should be roughly equal to his attack bonus with his best weapon (assuming good BAB and equal scores).

Example: Let's consider a 4th level Jedi with Weapon Focus (lightsaber), Skill Training (use the force), Improved Skill Training (use the force), and Skill Focus (use the force). We'll assume a Str of 14 and a Cha of 14, giving a +2 bonus in each case.

His attack bonus with his lightsaber is: +4 (BAB) +2 (Str) +1 (WF), for a total of +7

His Use the Force skill modifier is: +2 (half-level automatic) +2 (Cha) +2 (IST (also equals half level!)) +1 (SF), for a total of +7.

If you do this, then it doesn't matter whether the character uses an attack vs a defense or a skill vs a defense - the total modifier is in the same balllpark whichever is used. It also means we can unify the DCs for attack and skill rolls by level, which definitely seems like a good idea to me.

(If we instead go with a 4e-like unified modifier for all gains, and a proficiency bonus for using an appropriate weapon, then Skill Training should instead give a middle-of-the-road bonus (+5 is too high), my suggested Improved Skill Training feat should be eliminated, and Skill Focus should again give the same bonus as Weapon Focus).

 

[dwayne]

I for one have never liked $th and loved 3.5/pathfinder/modern rules and combining them would be a good Idea, I did an altered version This is the first phase still have to play test to check out the system to see what bugs there are. http://www.mediafire.com/folder/rc8htg4z9jy04/My_Modern_D20

 

[Ahnehnois]

If I were rewriting d20 Modern today, I'd hybridize it with the Cortex system games and try to create something a little less hackneyed and more of a simplistic reality simulator.

In short:
*Get rid of BAB and saves and make everything a skill.
*Make a set list of basic skills that advance a finite amount, followed by an open-ended list of subspecialties.
*Flatten the math enough so that ability scores are always relevant.
*Get rid of classes and make it strictly point buy.
*Covert feats into the point buy approach.
*Add in active defense and a more robust action system.
*Get rid of hp and replace them with something more naturalistic and more deadly.
*Add in a bunch of modules for specific genres and settings.
*Get rid of the spiky-haired art and redo the tone of the book to something more appealing.
*Keep most of the basic skill/feat/combat mechanics as they are.

Then we'd have an rpg worthy of the title "d20 Modern".